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Agency highlights Read Vermont literacy work and a push to improve communications and field support
Summary
Secretary Saunders described Read Vermont as a priority literacy initiative, said a report on Act 139 goals will be provided to the legislature soon, and announced new communications hires and plans for digestible fact sheets, videos and field‑based supports.
Secretary Zoe Saunders told the committee literacy is a chief priority and described Read Vermont, an initiative to deliver statewide literacy support after prior federal funding disruptions. She said the agency plans to deliver a report within weeks evaluating progress on Act 139 goals and offering recommendations for resources, parent tools and alignment of the science of reading in educator preparation.
Saunders said Read Vermont includes job‑embedded coaching for teachers and cohort work for building leaders, and that the agency has launched a Read Vermont Institute with participation across supervisory districts. She told the committee the agency provided a recommendation to the Vermont Standards Board to embed the science of reading more fully into educator preparation and to revise peer review and endorsement processes for reading instruction.
On communications, Saunders introduced Torin Ballard as director of policy and communications and said the agency recently hired a digital communications specialist to expand video and social media content, produce simple fact sheets and create a weekly field review and superintendent update. She also noted an interactive directory with staff contact information and division‑level phone and email entry points to improve public access to agency expertise.
Saunders said agencies need to balance long‑term transformation work with immediate support, and that the legislature provided an eight‑month appropriation for field‑facing staff; sustaining that work will require ongoing funding decisions. The committee asked about metrics; Saunders said the agency has a 30‑60‑90 day change management plan, key performance indicators across the five strategic pillars, and that many statewide outcome measures require broader statewide movement to show change.
Saunders invited committee members to an agency open house and offered to return with the literacy report and further briefings on communications and metrics.
